Dispensing cap



Oct. 15, 1935. E. s.- DE VALERA DISPENS INQ C A? Filed Sept. 11, 1934 INVNTOR. Ewell dial elem.

my ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1 935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ernest Ga l e v c rf efvirk, N. Application September 11, 1934, Serial No. 743,525 3 Claims. (Cl. 221-60) This invention relates to content dispensing devices in general, and particularly to a removable cap adapted to be associated with an orifice-provided extension of collapsible tubes. 7

The prime. object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive, simple, readily applicable device of this kind, which may be momentarily associated with any existing collapsible tube, without the use of tools and without requiring special skill, and which will permit the dispensing of any desired quantity of the contents of the tube, by merely presing against the exterior thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described, in which is operably mounted a valve or piston provided with an extended or enlarged pressure-receiving area, which area is adapted to face the orifice of a collapsible tube, through which the contents of the latter are usually discharged.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cap which is open at one end and closed at the other end, and equipped with a side discharge aperture having a sharp, marginal edge, and a valve provided with a sharp peripheral edge, adapted to cooperate with the sharp edge of said discharge aperture.

Another object of this invention is to provide within such device, means for eflectively actuating the valve so as to cause its return to its closing position, after-it had been caused to move to its opening position.

The foregoing and still further obiects will become more fully apparent from the following description, and from the accompanying drawing, forming a part of my disclosure, but not being intended to limit my invention to the actual structureshownl Inthe drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my device in one of its preferred forms, shown secured to a collapsible tube,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional 2-4 of Figure 1,

Hg. 3 is a similar cross sectional view through the imattached form of my device,

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partially in cross section, through one form of my valve,

Flgures5,6and'lillustratecrosssectional views through modified forms of my cap or cylinder, and

-Flg. 81s acrosssectionalvlewthroughamodi fied form of my device, employing compressed for the operation of the valve.

Referring now to the drawing. numeral l denotes a collapsible tube, terminating in an orificed ,whichis usuallvprovidedwithan view taken on lines external thread. Secured to extension I l is shown a cap or cylinder l2, which is closed at one of its ends l3, and open at its opposite end, which latter is preferably flanged, as indicated at M. Flange i4 is intended to bear against the tube area 5 adjacent to its extension ll. Cylinder i2 is provided with a side aperture l5, having a. sharp, peripheral edge, indicated at l6. For the purpose of securing the cylinder II. to the extension of the tube, I preferably indent the cylinder in two places. Oneindentation is shown at I! and is adapted to engage the upper course of the thread of the extension, while the lower indentation I8 is intended to engage one of the lower threads of the extension.

Within the cylinder is operatively mounted a piston or valve l9, corresponding to the cylindrical form of cap l2, and tightly fitted against the interior wall of the latte Yet this fit'is not so tight as to prevent a relatively easy movement of the piston within the cylinder. The end of the piston or'valve facing the orifice of extension II is provided with a recess presenting an enlarged pressure-receiving area 20, which latter terminates in a sharp, peripheral edge 2|. The other end of the valve is preferably provided with a spring seat 22, adapted to receive and to guide an expansion spring, indicated at 23, interposed between the valve and the closed end l3 of cylinder l2. The indentations l1 and iii are preferably made after the insertion of spring 23 and of piston l9 into the cylinder. The upper indentation i1 is intended to prevent valve i9 from leaving the cap, before the latter is attached to an existing extension of a collapsible tube, as clearly illustrated-in Figure 3.

When the device is secured to a tube, the piston normally rests against the upper face of extension Ii, in which position the valve is closed, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. when the content of the tube is brought under pressure, this 7 pressure is sufilcient to overcome the tension ofspring 23, whereby the valve is lifted so as to partially clear the lower edge portion of aperture It, thus permitting a desired amount of the tubes content to ooze out. The moment the pressure against the tube is released, spring 23 moves valve l9 to its closing position, and the sharp edge 2| of valve I9, cooperating with sharp edge It of aperture I5, cuts oil a further discharge. In this manner a collapsible tube provided with my device is capable of automatically dispensing a desired quantity of its content without any other operation except that of compressing the tube. Referring now to Figure 5, there is illustrated a cap or cylinder 24, provided with a closed end xdentations 33, designed to form abutments tube. Within the cylinder is again flanged at 21, and above the flange there is provided an indentation -28, adapted to engagethe lower portion or the thread 01' a tube extension. Instead of an upper indentation I have provided in this modified form a peripheral groove 29, adapted to serve both as rest for the valve and also as abutment for the upper edge of the tube extension.

The illustration inI-igure 6 portrays an ther modified form of the cap in which the side flange and indentations are missing, but where the lower end of the cap is internally threaded at 3.. This thread is to correspond with the thread of the extension 01 the tube. In Figure 7 still another modified form of the cap construction is shown, in

which the lower end is slotted at 3|, thus providing several resilient legs, terminating in r pin flanges 32, adapted to engage the lower end of a tube extension. Above slots 3| are provided infor both the piston and the upper edge of the tube extension.

Referring now to again consists of a cap or cylindrical member l2, having a closed end l3 and a flanged lower end I4 and the usual indentations i1 and I8. There is againprovided a sharp-edged side opening II in the cylinder for discharging the content of a cylinder there is mounted a piston or valve 40, again provided with an enlarged pressure-receiving area ll and a sharp, peripheral lower edge 42, the latter adapted to cooperate with the sharp edge of opening I5. Near the up: per end of piston 40 there is out either one, or a plurality of minute passages l3, adapted to estab- .lish connections between the atmosphere and the interior space of the cylinder, above the piston.

This passage or passages 43 serves as automatic,-

valves or cuteofls for the air above the piston. when pressure is exerted against the pressurereceiving area II, the piston is moved upwards and partially clears the lower edge of opening ll, thus permitting a discharge of the tube's content. As the piston moves upwards, its passage is is covered by the upper edge portion 0! opening it. The air entrapped between the upper-end oi the piston and the closed end of the cylinder is compressed'suiflciently, so that when the pressure against the piston by the content or the tube is released, the compressed air behind the piston will move the latter to its closing position, shown in Figure 8. 1

In both constructions described, the operation of the valve is automatically-caused ,by pressure within the tube. In either construction the valve is correctly fitted within the interior wall of the cap. It is obvious, of course, that the construction shown in Figure 8 requires greater precision, although the content of the tube usually provides suiilcient lubrication and seal for the smooth and correct operation of the valve.

In all of my constructions the proper operation of my device depends upon the enlarged or exwithin the broad scope'o! Figure 8, this modification tended eliective pressure areaprovided in the piston. Through the employment or a generously designed pressure-receiving area, only a relatively slight pressure upon the tube is required to either overcome the spring tension against the piston, 5 I

or to compress the air, in the modified form of Figure 8, for efiicient operation of my devices.

While I have shown and described specific forms or my invention, it is quite evident, irom the difierent modifications illustrated, that it is 10 capable of a great many modifications'and improvements, and I therefore reserve for myself the right to make such improvements and changes as may become necessary in the course of manuiacturing the device for various purposes, all 15 my invention, as set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing cap, comprising in combination, a cylinder, closed at one end, and open at its 20 other end, and provided with a sharp-edged side opening, 'a valve operatively mounted in said cylinder and adapted to either partially clearflor close said side opening, the valve end nearest the open end of the cylinder having an e larged 25 pressure-receiving area and a sharp, peripheral edge cooperating with the saidopening oi the cylinder, a minute passage formed at the other end of the valve and adapted, when the valve isat its closing position, between the atmosphere and the space formed between the valve and the closed end of the cyl-. inder, the valve being adapted, when moved into the cylinder bypressure exerted against its pressure-receiving area, to trap and compress the air 35 V 'and provided with a concave depression, the-latter adapted to face the orifice of such neck member, and terminating in a sharp peripheral edge, 4 oppositely disposed and vertically spaced inden-B tations on said cylinder, said indentations being adapted to make interlocking connection with the threaded neck member for removably retainins thesaid dispensin cap in assembled operative position on said tube neck, the uppermost indentation on said cylinder also providing a stop for the piston to retain same in said cylinder when the latter is removed from said threaded neck. v a. m a dispensin8 cap, as set iorth'in cl siim 2, resilient means for actuating said piston Mthin said cylinder. 1

to provide connection 30 muss'rannvsrinasy 

